Listed firms' financials confirm economy robust

BEIJING - More than 2,300 listed companies' forecasts of their third-quarter financial performance indicate they are likely to beat market expectations.

As of Oct 24, nearly 72 percent of them have already posted higher net profits year-on-year or were back in the black, according to data compiled by Wind, a leading corporate information provider.

The data add to a string of major indicators that the Chinese economy is on a steadier footing.